Names & Notes

1000 Friends of Iowa announces the winners of the 2017 Best Development Awards. The awards program showcases projects that exemplify the connections between building land and natural resource development and quality of life. With a mission focused on responsible land use 1000 Friends of Iowa promotes smart growth planning principles that help achieve socially, economically and environmentally sustainable communities.

The projects recognized in this year’s awards are located in the following cities Charles City, Clive, Denison, Des Moines, Dubuque, Glidden, Marshalltown, Muscatine, Norwalk, Sioux City and Waterloo.

2017 Best Development Awards Ceremony will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Jan. 16 in the Iowa State Capitol Building, First Floor Rotunda.

The Renovated Residential Category features the use of an existing structure to create single or multi-family permanent or temporary housing. Notable aspects include, but are not limited to, reinvestment in an existing property and community as well as use of sustainable building materials, salvaging of existing materials, promotion of connectivity, public transportation and walkability, accessibility to affordable or mixed market-rate housing and adherence to historic preservation practices if applicable.

The Renovated Residential Award goes to the Kibbey Building in Marshalltown. Converting the second floor of the historic building, which was built in 1895, into four loft apartments, and its adjacent site into a community park, support the City’s prior neighborhood redevelopment and economic growth by strengthening live/work connection on Main Street, using existing infrastructure and bolstering walkability.

The building’s east wall supports the adjacent Gallery Garden with a living wall, irrigated through rainwater harvesting. Its public canopy supports photovoltaic panels for lighting and power for irrigation pumps. A cistern below the Kibbey parking lot assists in stormwater management.

Great Western Bancorp, Inc. unveils minimum wage hike

TIMES-REPUBLICAN

SIOUX FALLS, SD — Great Western Bancorp, Inc., the parent company of Great Western Bank, announced investments recently in its employees and community reinvestment as a result of the tax reform package. The investments include:

• Raising the minimum wage to $15;

• A special one-time $500 bonus or wage increase for nearly 70 percent of its workforce;

• Enhancements to employees’ health care offerings effective for the 2018 enrollment period

• The doubling of its annual contribution to its Making Life Great Grants community reinvestment program.

“We want to kick off 2018 by investing in our people and communities,” said Ken Karels, chairman, president and CEO of Great Western Bancorp, Inc. “We are proud of our people and their commitment to our mission to Make Life Great. We felt it was important to reward their hard work and dedication with this special bonus, the minimum wage hike and the health care enhancements.”

In addition to making investments in its people, Karels said the Company is planning to double its annual contribution to its hallmark community reinvestment program – Making Life Great Grants.

“The doubling of our commitment to our Making Life Great Grants program reflects a long-term expansion in our ability to invest in and revitalize our communities for years to come,” Karels said. “Giving back to the communities where we work and live is part of our culture and aligns with our mission to Make Life Great. It’s the right thing to do.”

The investments in people and community will take effect over the next several months. To learn more about Great Western’s commitment to community reinvestment, visit the GWB Blog.

Submit local business news

The Times-Republican invites businesses in its circulation area to submit brief items concerning their employees or businesses for the Names & Notes column, which is published on Sundays.

Potential subjects of these business briefs include announcements of new businesses, branch acquisitions, departures of longtime employees, employee recognitions or new hires. Submissions will be edited and run on a space-available basis. Items must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration in Sunday’s column.